From left: Isabel Hardesty, Executive Director of ShoreRivers; Jane Anderson; William Anderson, II, this year’s winner of the ShoreRivers Award for Environmental Stewardship; Marian Fry, Chair of ShoreRivers’ Board of Directors; and Matt Pluta, Choptank Riverkeeper and ShoreRivers’ Director of Riverkeeper Programs, are pictured at the organization’s Rendezvous at the Farmstead on October 20.
On October 20, William A. Anderson, II was named the 2024 recipient of the ShoreRivers Award for Environmental Stewardship during the organization’s Rendezvous at the Farmstead event at Kent Island Resort. This annual award recognizes an individual or entity in the Chesapeake Bay watershed for their transformational accomplishments as a steward of the environment.
After 40 years of practicing environmental law, Anderson brought his commitment to environmental and water quality protection to the Eastern Shore in 2012. At that time, he joined the Midshore Riverkeeper Conservancy (one of ShoreRivers’ three legacy organizations), where he became a loyal volunteer, staff mentor, trusted advisor, and Board member. He was recognized as its volunteer of the year in 2018. He later served as an integral part of the merger committee that gave birth to ShoreRivers, an inaugural member of its Board and later its Executive Committee, and as Chair of the Advocacy Committee.
“It would be hard to overstate the role Bill Anderson has played at ShoreRivers,” said Matt Pluta, Choptank Riverkeeper and ShoreRivers’ Director of Riverkeeper Programs. “He has helped give direction and legal counsel to many of our staff and Riverkeepers on important environmental issues. He's been a volunteer, a community connector, and a leading advocate for clean rivers in Talbot County. And for the past 10 years in my role as Choptank Riverkeeper, he's been a mentor and a friend. It's an honor to recognize him in this way.”
Locally, Anderson has served on the Public Works Advisory Board for Talbot County for nine years, much of that time as its Chair. In that position, he led the board in opposing the connection of the new Lakeside development to the Trappe wastewater treatment plant. He also led it in supporting water quality improvement projects, such as sewer extensions to existing developments along Maryland Route 33 and to Bozman, Neavitt, and the Eastern Villages. Thanks to those projects, nitrogen contributions from hundreds of septic systems into our creeks and rivers will be eliminated.
Upon accepting the custom-made award—a moon vase, created by Eastern Shore artist Marilee Schumann with sand from a Choptank tributary cherished by the family—Anderson graciously acknowledged the many other volunteers he credits with these collective successes. Isabel Hardesty, Executive Director, and Marian Fry, Board Chair, presented the award on behalf of the organization.
ShoreRivers — and more than 150 supporters in attendance at the event — were proud to recognize Anderson for the significant amount of time and effort he has dedicated to fight on behalf of what's right for the rivers we all cherish. Visit shorerivers.org to learn more about this award and the organization’s impact on the Eastern Shore.